Chapter 6

Seeing Synestine coming in like nothing happened in the past few days was weird. I don't want to make a big deal about it and make it about me, but since that kiss—which I wasn't aware of happened, everything suddenly changed.

"Hi, Pocholo," nakangiti nitong pagbati sa akin. Her smiles always got me. I don't know what it's called, but it made me feel like I was on cloud nine. She went closer to the counter to where I was standing.

"Hi, Sy," I greeted her with a smile. I tried not to think that we kissed. I couldn't remember that so why would I bother? "What can I get for you?"

She giggled before she responded. "Uhm. . . I didn't come here to get a drink."

"Oh. . ." Namilog ang bibig ko kasabay nang pag-angat ng kilay. "Okay. . . What can I do for you?"

"I actually want to apply," she said. "But I don't have a CV. I can go back tomorrow if that's a requirement. Where can I submit it though?"

"Do you really want to work here?" I questioned.

She nodded. "Why, Mister de Amos? Do you think I'm not the person who would work here?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, no. That's not what I meant—" I couldn't say anything else. "Alright. . . Don't worry about your CV. I can work it out for you. Could you find an empty table and wait for me there?"

"Oh, sure! No problem. . ."

"Thank you."

Umalis siya sa harap ng counter at pumunta sa isang bakanteng table. May isang customer na pumasok sa shop at inutusan ko muna ang isang staff na siya muna ang mag-asikaso ng order nito. Before I get to Synestine's table, I grabbed her a piece of blueberry cheesecake. I took the papers for an applicant interview and the dessert.

As I got to the table, I gave her the cheesecake which she was surprised about because she said I didn't need to do that. Napangiti na lang din ako sa kanya. Hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko. This is too nerve-wracking for me. Synestine was the only one who could make me feel like this. 

"Alright. . . Miss St. Clair. Tell me something about yourself," I asked her, looking straight into her eyes as if those would enchant me.

She fixed her posture and gave me a sweeter smile than I could ever see. "I'm Synestine St. Clair. I'm 20 years old. I'm the eldest of our siblings, and most of them are ten below so quite the difference in ages there. To tell you about my work experience, I've worked in a fast food chain before. I was stationed at the counter, kitchen, and drive-thru. I was able to enhance my customer service skills from that experience and I'm interested in applying as one of the baristas here because I find it amusing and I miss working in this industry, so if you will give me a chance to work here, I would appreciate it so much."

"Thanks, Sy. That's just what I needed to hear."

"Oh, are we done?" she asked, somehow confused as I closed the applicant document form. 

Tumango naman ako. "Yes. How soon can you start?"

"Tomorrow, I guess? Yes, I can do it tomorrow."

"Then, congrats, Sy!"

Kinamayan ko siya at tinanggap naman niya iyon. Mas lumawak ang ngiti niya sa labi at hindi makapaniwala na gano'n lang kabilis ang lahat.  I don't it's necessary pa for me to make another round of interviews or make her do anything as I've already seen her do that work. She would be a good addition to the shop, and I just have to talk this one out to my father since we're not currently looking for a new staff, but perhaps my father couldn't resist me.

"Thank you so much, Pocholo. . ." she said.

"No problem. I know you will do great that's why I have no hesitation to accept you."

"Wow! It's my pleasure, Pocholo."

"You can call me Cholo," I told her. "Pocholo sounds so formal to me. Now that you are working here, Cholo's enough. And don't call me Mister de Amos, it's like you're referring to my father."

She giggled. "Alright, Cholo. I will take note of that. Anyway, since I would be starting tomorrow. . . I have to go now and sort things out in my place. And can I have this blueberry cheesecake to go? Sorry, I wasn't able to eat them. I was so nervous and excited."

"Of course, you can. Let me pack it up for you."

Mabilis kong kinuha ang plate at nilipat iyon sa isang take-out box. Nagdagdag pa ako ng isang cheesecake ng hindi niya alam. I would just put it on my tab and as a congratulatory gift from me to her. Bumalik ako sa pwesto niya at inabot ang box. She was so beautiful when she smiled. Every time she did that, I could see my future with her. Like a family, I could share with her. But all I know, it was all just a dream and there would never be a chance that Synestine and I would be together.

Never in this lifetime.

"Before I forget, as you may know, we don't have any uniforms here. You can wear any clothes you want. Whatever that will make you feel comfortable. You can come in tomorrow after lunch since one of the staff will be leaving at that time. Is it okay with you? We'll work out your schedule and everything these days."

"Yeah, fine by me! I'm so excited, Poch—Cholo," she said, giggling. "Goodbye, and see you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow, Sy. Take care."

As I watched her walk out of the shop, I immediately made a quick call to my father and explained to him that I just hired a new staff in our shop for the summer. Obviously, my father didn't like how I went with my decision. Hindi ko rin naman maipaliwanag sa kanya na si Synestine iyon. He would ask more if I said more things about her. I told him that she needed a summer job. It took him a while, but agreed to it.

He just asked me a few things about Synestine for her employment. I felt so relieved. Hindi ko kailangan bawiin sa kanya 'yon. Seeing her earlier so happy, it's like making my girlfriend the happiest woman in the world. Ang saya ko lang tingnan siya. But then, if my father told me otherwise, it was like I would be breaking her heart and I don't want that to happen. I can't break her heart after what happened to her relationship with Cameron. That would be so fucked up.

After the last customers of the shop, we clean everything before we head out. I won't be anywhere this Summer so I would rather spend my time in here. I'm not really fond of staying with my relatives, sure, it's fun to hang out with my cousins, but sometimes I'd like to spend my days alone.

I walked back to my dorm and found myself alone. My roommate hasn't come home yet, or maybe he's somewhere else. Surely, he would be leaving for Summer so I would have all this room by myself. I just hate it sometimes when he brought some girls over and I could hear their deep breaths. All I could do was put on some earplugs and sleep through it.

Before I went to bed, I took a shower. I lay down on the bed and received a message from Tomas that someone was having a late-night party today. Hindi ako nag-reply dahil wala na ako sa mood. Pinapalipas ko lang din kung ano 'yong nangyari no'ng isang gabi. I knew Cameron would be at that party. He doesn't miss a single party. At ayokong magkita kami ro'n at masangkot pa sa gulo.

I knew Cameron wasn't over it even though we saw him going out with a girl. It was his ego that has been murdered so he won't let it go. I was trying to keep myself out of trouble and protect my pretty face.

I woke up early in the morning to go to my only class. We only had a long quiz that took everyone an hour to finish. After that, I decided to go to the shop so I could take over some duties there.

"Hey, Cholo!" Napahinto ako sa paglalakad at mabilis na nilingon ang tumawag sa akin. Nakita ko si Synestine na papalapit sa akin. "Uuwi ka na ba?"

I smiled and shook my head. "Hindi pa naman, pero pupunta na ako sa shop ngayon."

"Ah, I see! Hindi pa naman after lunch, pero balak ko na rin sanang pumunta sa shop so I can get myself used to everything around there."

"Oh, sure. Wala namang problema," ani. "We can also fix your schedule since we still have classes, and you don't want to miss our classes, right?" Tumango naman siya sa akin. "Just to confirm, wala ka na namang klase, 'no?"

"Wala na. I had my 7 AM class and then my 9 AM class. I just got out actually. Do you want to grab some lunch muna bago tayo pumunta sa shop? I didn't have any breakfast earlier. . ."

"Me neither," I told her. "Sure, we can find a place to eat."

"Oh, I know a good place, Cho. Let's go!"

Kinuha niya ang kamay ko at hinigit niya ako palabas ng campus building. I wasn't expecting it. May ibang estudyante kaming nakasalubong at nakita kaming dalawa. This would spread fast like a wildfire. Pero from the past weeks, I'm seeing a different Synestine. Even though she smiles a lot, I could sense that she doesn't feel good, but now, I could feel like she really was better off without Cameron.

As soon as we got out of the building, she was explaining to me what we could get to that place. Para ban siyang batang sabik na dalhin ang magulang niya sa lugar na 'yon dahil kung hindi sa pagkain ay sa laruan. I remember when I was a child, I loved with when my parents brought me to this fast food chain where I could just play on their indoor playground and meet some other kids there. I was not aware of everything back then, but now thinking about it, I hope life was as easy as when I was a kid.

"Are you okay, Cholo?" We stopped, Synestine asking me and I just realized I was looking at her. "Para ka namang nakakita ng multo ngayon."

I chuckled. "Nothing. . . I was just thinking of something else."

She smirked. "Why would you think of something else when I'm with you."

"Huh?"

She giggled. "Nevermind, Cho. Dalian na natin. It's lunchtime, I just know they'll be packed at this hour. We need to get there quickly!"

"Now, let's run!"

Synestine and I ran to the place she was talking about. I couldn't believe that I would get to this moment. It was hard to believe that I was avoiding her whenever I got to see her down the hallway, now I'm running with her to a place I have no idea about. Life should be fun like this and I hope it will remain like this.

Well, a man like me could only hope for it.